LA Opera to Premiere ANATOMY THEATER

LA Opera's 30th Anniversary Season will conclude with the world premiere of Anatomy Theater, opening on June 16. Created by Pulitzer Prize-winning and Academy Award-nominated composer David Lang, who co-wrote the libretto with Mark Dion, the new work is presented at REDCAT (631 West 2nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012) as part of the LA Opera Off Grand series. The presentation is part of a multi-season collaboration between LA Opera and Beth Morrison Projects to present cutting-edge contemporary works.

Due to ticket demand, the run has been extended through June 20. (See below for performance dates and times.)

About the Opera
Anatomy Theater conjures a time when self-proclaimed "specialists" conducted public dissections of the corpses of executed criminals, seeking evidence of moral corruption in the interior of the human body. Based almost entirely on authentic found texts from the period, the opera follows the progression of an 18th-century English murderess from confession to execution to public dissection. Through the miracle of opera, she sings through it all. It explores the thin line between moralistic cruelty and dispassionate scientific inquiry.

It is, to be sure, a gruesome subject. It is also an immersive experience-audiences will serve as the spectators in the dissection theater. With nudity and plenty of blood, Anatomy Theater is not for the squeamish and definitely not for children. "Our piece is full of terrifying things," noted Mr. Dion and Mr. Lang. "Anatomy Theater is an opera of villains. There are no lovers, no peacemakers, no heroes in shining armor coming to the rescue. All the characters in our opera are dangerous."

The Creators
Composer and co-librettist David Lang received the Pulitzer Prize in 2008 for his piece the little match girl passion, commissioned by Carnegie Hall. His work is performed by major music, dance, opera and theatrical organizations throughout the world. Recent works include the concerto man made for the ensemble So Percussion and a consortium of orchestras, including the BBC Symphony and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and mountain for the Cincinnati Symphony. He composed the music for Paolo Sorrentino's film Youth, for which he received Academy Award, Golden Globe and Critics Choice nominations.

Co-librettist and set designer Mark Dion is a world-renowned visual artist who works on a wide range of scales, from architecture projects to print projects in newspaper. Recent large-scale public projects include "The Amateur Ornithologist Clubhouse," constructed in a vast gas tank in Essen, Germany; "The Hanging Garden," a fire escape-like vertical garden in London; and "Den," a large-scale folly in Norway's mountainous landscape featuring a massive sculpture of a sleeping bear. He has had major exhibitions at the Miami Art Museum, New York's Museum of Modern Art, the Tate Gallery in London and the British Museum of Natural History in London.

The Cast
Mezzo-soprano Peabody Southwell, whose many LAO appearances include La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi earlier this season, returns as murderess Sarah Osborne. Baritone Marc Kudisch, a Broadway star who made his 2004 company debut as Count Carl-Magnus in A Little Night Music, returns as Joshua Crouch, the caretaker of the dissection theater. Bass-baritone Robert Osborne performs the role of anatomist Baron Peel and tenor Timur portrays his assistant Ambrose Strang.

The Creative Team
The production is directed by Bob McGrath, the Obie-winning co-founder of Ridge Theater. The music director is Christopher Rountree, who will conduct wild Up, the path breaking L.A.-based chamber ensemble of which he is the founder, conductor and creative director.

The production features video design by Bill Morrison and projection design by Laurie Olinder. The lighting designer is Christopher Kuhl. The set is designed by co-librettist Mark Dion, with costumes by Alixandra Gage Englund and sound design by Garth MacAleavey.

For artist bios and additional information, visit LAOpera.org/Anatomy.

Performance Dates and Times
There will be five performances of Anatomy Theater presented at REDCAT:

• Thursday, June 16, 2016, at 8pm (world premiere)
• Friday, June 17, 2016, at 8pm
• Saturday, June 18, 2016, at 8pm
• Sunday, June 19, 2016, at 2pm
• Monday, June 20, 2016, at 8pm (newly added; best ticket availability)

After the final performance, audience members are invited to attend the official closing night party sponsored by Time Out Los Angeles.

Advance Tickets
Tickets are on sale now. Tickets cost $69 and can be purchased in person at the LA Opera Box Office at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, by phone at 213.972.8001 or online at LAOpera.org. For disability access, call 213.972.0777 or email LAOpera@LAOpera.org.

Photo Credit: James Daniel/LA Opera